Training Day 18.
Commander Gideon stood in front of the assembled heroes. Behind him, a magical display board glowed blue, ready to show their stats.
"Three-week evaluation," he announced. "Heroes, display your progress."
Nobles watched from the stands. Other trainees gathered around. Even Archbishop Dominus was here, which made Hiroshi's stomach twist.
Public stats check. Great.
Kenji stepped forward first. His stats appeared on the board.
Kenji - Level 8
The crowd applauded. Kenji grinned and scratched his head. "Just doing my best!"
Level 8. He'd started at Level 1 three weeks ago. Seven levels in three weeks.
Aria went next.
Aria - Level 7
More applause.
Marcus stepped up.
Marcus Lightbringer- Level 8
"All glory to the Gods!" he said, hands clasped.
The crowd loved that.
Then it was Hiroshi's turn.
He stepped forward. The board flickered.
Hiroshi Tanaka - Level 1
Silence.
The number didn't change.
Gideon frowned at the display. "Is this malfunctioning?"
Hiroshi opened his own System window. Checked his stats.
Level: 1
XP: 47/100
"No, sir," he said quietly. "It's accurate."
The whispers started immediately.
"Still Level 1? After three weeks?"
"That's impossible. Even normal people level faster."
"Is he broken?"
Gideon looked genuinely confused. "I've never seen this. You've been in daily combat for three weeks."
Archbishop Dominus stood from his seat. "Interesting anomaly. We should examine this."
Hiroshi's dread kicked into overdrive.
"Bring him to the Church archives after training," Dominus continued. "We have diagnostic rituals."
"Is Hiroshi okay?" Kenji asked. "Is something wrong with him?"
"That's what we'll determine."
The way Dominus said it made Hiroshi feel less like a person and more like a specimen.
Midday.
Gideon called Hiroshi to his office.
"Sit," the Commander said. "We need to discuss your situation."
"I've been training people for forty years. adventurers, guards." Gideon shook his head. "Never seen progression this slow."
"How slow is 'this slow'?"
"Farmers hit Level 5 from harvest work. Blacksmiths reach Level 10 from smithing. You've been in combat training, actual combat, for three weeks and gained 47 XP."
Hiroshi's stomach dropped. "Is that bad?"
Gideon laughed, but it wasn't happy. "You should have 200 XP minimum. Probably 250. You're at less than 25% normal gain."
"Why?"
"That's what I don't know." Gideon leaned back in his chair. "Cursed bloodline? Divine punishment? System rejection?"
"Have you seen those before?"
"Cursed bloodlines reduce XP by 25%. You're way below that. Divine outcasts level slowly, but not this slowly." He paused. "Your case is unprecedented."
"The Church has diagnostic rituals," Gideon continued. "Divine scrying can examine System architecture directly. See things you can't."
"So they can fix it?"
Another pause. "They can identify the cause. Fixing it... that depends on what's wrong."
"You don't sound optimistic."
"I'm being realistic." Gideon's expression shifted. Something hardened in his eyes. "And Hiroshi, be careful with the Church."
"Careful how?"
"They have their own interests. Not always aligned with heroes' interests."
"That's ominous."
"It's political. Just..." Gideon chose his words carefully. "Remember that. Don't trust everything they tell you."
Hiroshi left the office with more questions than answers.
The Church archives were deep in the cathedral complex. Stone walls, stained glass filtering afternoon light into colors. It would have been pretty if Hiroshi wasn't terrified.
A ritual chamber waited. Magic circles glowed on the floor in patterns he didn't recognize.
An elderly man in scholar's robes greeted him. "I am Scholar Thaddeus. I'll be examining your System architecture."
Archbishop Dominus watched from the corner.
"Stand in the circle," Thaddeus said. "This won't hurt, divine scrying is observational only."
Hiroshi stepped into the circle. It felt Like standing naked in front of strangers.
"What will you see?"
"System architecture. The underlying divine energy which operates the system. if you will. Details users cannot access through normal means."
Thaddeus began chanting in a language Hiroshi didn't recognize. Golden light surrounded him. Warm but invasive. It pressed against his skin.
His System window appeared. But different. Expanded. Extra lines of text he'd never seen before.
Thaddeus read silently, expression shifting from neutral to concerned.
"Divine compatibility: Zero." He paused. "Mana affinity: Low. Class potential... undefined. XP multiplier is..."
He stopped.
"Oh."
Dominus leaned forward. "What did you find, Scholar?"
"There's a hidden modifier." Thaddeus looked uncomfortable. "I've never encountered this designation before."
"What designation?" Hiroshi asked.
Thaddeus hesitated. He looked at Dominus. Then back at Hiroshi. "'Expendable's Curse.' Effect: Minus fifty percent XP gain from all sources."
Silence.
The word hit Hiroshi like a punch to the chest.
Expendable.
"You require double the experience points to level compared to normal individuals," Thaddeus continued quietly. "Where others need 100 XP to reach Level 2, you need 200."
"Why would a summoning ritual include a curse?"
"It shouldn't. Summoning magic doesn't typically..."
Dominus cut him off. "Summoning rituals interact with existing soul structures. Perhaps your soul carries this burden from Earth."
"I didn't have a System on Earth," Hiroshi said. "This curse is from here. From your summoning."
"Divine mysteries are beyond mortal understanding."
"Can it be removed?"
Thaddeus looked pained. "Divine curses require divine intervention. The Twelve Gods would need to actively remove it. A ritual of purification, or..."
"The gods have already declined to bless him," Dominus interrupted smoothly. "Further divine aid is unlikely."
"So I'm stuck," Hiroshi said. "Permanently."
"I'm sorry," Thaddeus said. He actually sounded like he meant it. "I wish I had better news."
"Every soul has its trials," Dominus said. "Perhaps this is yours, to prove worth despite adversity."
Prove worth. Or die trying. Which is probably the point.
The ritual ended. Golden light faded.
Hiroshi stepped out of the circle. His legs felt weak.
"If you need anything..." Thaddeus trailed off. He seemed genuinely troubled. "I'm sorry this is your burden."
"The divine tests us in ways we cannot comprehend," Dominus said. "Have faith."
"Thank you for the examination, Your Eminence."
Faith. Right. Faith that I was summoned with a curse specifically designed to make me fail.
He left the archives. Behind him, quiet voices echoed in the stone corridor.
"Your Eminence, that modifier shouldn't exist in standard summoning protocols..."
"Scholar. Some questions are above your authority. Remember that."